


A Classic 'Bob Meets Gull' Story

by hollyfrosty



Category: Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door, どうぶつの森 | Animal Crossing Series
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-08
Updated: 2019-02-08
Packaged: 2019-10-24 06:48:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 992
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17699603
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hollyfrosty/pseuds/hollyfrosty
Summary: "I haven't met such a noble skipper since old Bobbery of Rogueport!"Two sailors sharing a love of the sea.





	A Classic 'Bob Meets Gull' Story

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Ysavvryl](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ysavvryl/gifts).



_ Thunk. _

“Ugggh... I think my headboard fell on me...” Gulliver tries to push off from the wood that his head just collided with.

_ Thunk. _

“Zzz... And my waterbed is leaking...” Gulliver concludes, realizing that he is currently in water.

_ Thunk. _

“Captain!” A distant voice calls from somewhere above the sleepy seagull. “There’s a man overboard!”

“Well rescue the poor man...” Gulliver responds. As he says this, he feels himself being lifted out of the water and he finally opens his eyes to see that he is in the massive hand of a towering skeletal pirate. “Oh! Sorry to trouble you, I’ll be going now!” Gulliver bolts upright and does a perfect dive back towards the water, but the skeleton grabs his ankle.

“There’s no need to fear, amigo. The crew of the Black Skull means you no harm.” The skeletal pirate holds Gulliver to his face as he speaks. The pirate seems to be attempting a disarming smile, but is only serving to make himself more terrifying.

“Right! Of course! The Black Skull! The friendliest vessel on the seas?” Gulliver is trying to reassure himself that he is not about to be plucked and rotisseried. It isn’t working especially well.

The pirate sets Gulliver down on the deck, where he attempts not to cower. “The Black Skull certainly has an intimidating name. It was once a fearsome ship, wreaking havoc upon those unfortunate enough to have wealth for the taking!” The skeleton seems to puff up in pride. “But now I just want to feel the sea air on my bones.”

Gulliver nods slowly and turns to run away... and nearly trips over a small round sailor who, he realizes moments later, is a bomb. “Captain, the poor chap is clearly finding your pleasantries unpleasant. Let me find space for him in the crew quarters.”

The skeleton, nay, the  _ captain _ , nods. “Make sure he’s comfortable, Bobbery. It’s a few days before we go ashore and we don’t need him making a swim for it again.”

The bomb, Bobbery, helps Gulliver to his feet. Despite his explosive capabilities, Bobbery’s military-looking hat and impressive mustache help to reassure Gulliver of his safety. Gulliver follows him into the underbelly of the ship, and he tells Gulliver more. “Don’t mind Cortez, old boy. He was a pirate to the last, and now that he’s beyond the last it’s a tough habit to break, eh wot?”

“Ah, yes. of course. I completely understand.” Gulliver has no idea what’s happening.

“I’m Admiral Bobbery, by the by. What can I call you, chap?”

“My name is Gulliver! My crew had a nasty encounter with a sea monster and I fell overboard again.”

“Again?” Bobbery raises his eyebrow. “How many times have you fallen in the drink?”

“Enough times that my crew wants to tie me to the mast.” Gulliver admits, scratching the back of his head.

“Well we won’t be doing that, but you might want to keep yourself cozy belowdecks. May I offer you a spot of tea?”

Gulliver perks up. “That sounds wonderful! I haven’t had a good cup of tea since I last met that puzzle-solving professor...” Gulliver loses himself in his memories, but quickly snaps back to.

“Well, we’ll remedy that posthaste! Brewed from the finest Koopa Leaves.” Bobbery opens the door to the crew quarters, and turns to leave. “Oh, Sal T. may have some spare clothes for you to borrow while yours dry. He might be a smidge smaller than you, but it’s better than being starkers, eh?”

As Bobbery leaves, Gulliver goes to the trunk indicated. Gulliver quickly changes into the pair of yellow overalls inside, though the buttons are clearly being strained from the size difference between the seagull and the toad who bought them. Bobbery returns a few minutes later with two cups of tea, and sets them down. As the two of them sit down at the table, Bobbery is the first to speak. “You seem pretty unlucky on the seas, old boy. Why don’t you hang up the hat?”

Gulliver is about to gesture to the wet hat hanging on the wall before catching the metaphor. “I just love the sea, and exploring. I’ve met wonderful people doing it, and seen amazing places! Could you ever give it up?”

“Nearly did.” Bobbery’s expression turns dark as he takes a sip of tea. “But that’s a sadder story than I’d trouble a new friend with.”

“I’m sorry to have hit a nerve, but I wouldn’t be troubled at all.” Gulliver says carefully.

“Well, if you’re sure. I was married once, to a beautiful bomb named Scarlette. No matter how far I sailed, she was always on the front of my mind, and she waited for me back on shore to welcome me home.” Bobbery sets down his tea, and swallows. “One day, while I was away, she fell ill. Before I could even make it home to know about it, she had passed on to the next life.”

Bobbery lowers his eyes. Gulliver reaches to put his wing on Bobbery’s shoulder before realizing he doesn’t have them. Gulliver recovers and takes a swig before Bobbery continues. “When I got back, I vowed never to set sail again. It wasn’t until years later that I was given a letter that Scarlette wrote before her death, urging me not to give up the sea. I realized that Scarlette wouldn’t have wanted have to shut myself away and grow old and sad. So I set sail once more, joining up with Cortez and some sailors from Keelhaul Key.”

Gulliver just nods. “I’m so sorry to hear that, Admiral.”

“The past is the past, old boy.” Bobbery’s wheel-key raises, which Gulliver interprets as a shrug. “The point of my long-winded tale is I understand not giving up the sea. There’s a bond between a sailor and the waves.”

Gulliver nods, and raises his tea for a toast. “To the sea!”

“To the sea.”


End file.
